Russia defends weapon delivery to Syria

A displaced Syrian child smiles after receiving some food aid from humanitarian organizations at the battered district of Hamadaniyeh, Aleppo, northern Syria, on July 30, 2015. Aleppo, Syria's largest city and once an economic hub, has been torn between the rebels in the east and the government forces in the western parts of the city while parts of the northern countryside are under the IS control. The Aleppan people suffer from the scarcity of water and electricity and poor sanitation. (Xinhua/Abd Fayad)

MOSCOW, Sep. 9 -- Russia on Wednesday defended its supply of military equipment to Syria, saying it complies with international law.

"We've long been supplying weapons and military equipment to Syria, which is done under the existing bilateral contracts and in full conformity with international law," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

She added that there were Russian military specialists in Syria instructing local troops in using the supplied armaments.

According to Zakharova, Russia might consider extra "counter-terrorism aid" to Syria.

"If additional measures are required to boost anti-terrorism efforts, then, undoubtedly, these issues will be additionally considered, but exclusively on the basis of international law," she said in a press release.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov claimed that Russia would continue sending humanitarian aid to Syria using alternative flight routes.

He made the remarks in response to the recent move of the Greek government, which closed its air space for Russian humanitarian cargo flights heading for Syria, obviously under U.S. pressure.

Bulgaria on Tuesday also refused Russian flights to enter its air space on suspicion that the planes might carry military other than humanitarian cargoes.

"Some countries are deviating from, what I would call, their international duty, namely, the provision of air corridors to the aircraft involved in the settlement of humanitarian problems," Ryabkov said.